Tootsie Roll Factory Working Again! Thanks, Homeschooling.

Last Monday, we started up Homeschool again. We are still waiting on some evaluations, but I thought it would be good for all of us to get some schooling in. We were getting SO bored!!! Homeschooling has been so difficult for me because I just didn’t have the ability to understand or create my own lesson plans. I’ve had people recommend curricula, but none of them had the lesson plans written out. The ones that did, were RIDICULOUSLY expensive (some being $900). I’m positive that I have some kind of a learning disability and I’ve struggled with the organizing of information all of my life. Trying to take different subjects and create lesson plans for them was not overwhelming, it was IMPOSSIBLE.

My second college degree is in Theater Education and I always got horrible scores on my lesson plans. I just couldn’t understand how to take all of the information I ‘knew’ and put it into an organized plan. One lesson at a time wasn’t too hard when I knew what the teacher wanted me to say, but the unit long ones would give me horrible headaches. This is why I don’t like chess! You have to know where you’re going and most people know that I never know where I’m going. LOL! I spent hours researching curricula online and it was all very confusing and expensive. I spent 8 hours one day trying to save money on a curricula by looking for some of the materials at the library, ebay, amazon etc. and creating a Spreadsheet to organize my findings. The result, I would save $24 off of a $800 purchase. I spent a full day’s work to save $24?!?!?! If I were getting paid to be a Stay At Home Mom, I just lost $60 that day. DAG-NIT!!!!

Then, one morning I woke up and I just knew exactly what I needed to do. I knew that I needed to get curricula that had the lesson plans in them… duh. However, the miraculous understanding came in how those plans, units, concepts, standards and objectives all lined up!!!! I’ve been praying and praying and praying and then… POOF! I got it. I can tell you dozens of stories of how God has given me miraculous understanding in things that were seemingly impossible and where I had NO help. So, here we are and I was a good week! No boredom, fighting, strife, or whining.

The biggest thing that happened was the 5yo started put his poop in the potty. ALL. WEEK. LONG. That’s right, parents! The day after we started school again, the toilet seat started going up on it’s own. At first, I was creeped out (watching too many paranormal investigation shows I suppose). Then, sanity said, “that’s your son using the toilet…Nerd.” I’m sorry, but that is not a sound that we are used to hearing around here. He’s only had a few accidents. One major blowout, at his Uncle and Aunt’s that required a shower… heheheheh… sorry guys…. Other than that, he’s been accident free and has given Butt Birth to some of the most amazing turds! I’m so proud of him. This is the longest record he’s held in almost TWO years! TWO YEARS!!!!! All of the withholding and constipation and fear and complaints have all but disappeared. He tells me… “no mom, i want to do it all by myself. I’ll call when I need you.” What a grown up thing to say! I think he might be ready for underwear… omg… underwear…. UNDERWEAR!!!! This is like the Holy Grail of Potty Training!!!!

We’ve been doing the Miralax regime for 18 months and it was the same cycle: gets impacted, give him Miralax, cleaned out, withholds, gets impacted again even though he’s on Miralax. I still think that he has some sensory problems and physical problems that are hindering him because he’s explained that he cant feel his poop. But it seems he’s found something that is working for him and he’s going for it! We’ve been showering him with rewards!!!

For any of you who are interested in our full Potty Training Journey, start from the beginning by reading Let’s Talk About Poop Logs. You can find the link in the side bar under the “Potty Training” category. Believe me when I say that we have tried everything under the sun and nothing has worked. He literally started doing this on his own with no motivation at all. Something just clicked and he’s working with it. I dont want to say his problem is cured. It’s not. He is working with what he has found successful and trying, but I feel that he is building his self confidence right now and I’m not going to doubt in front of him. I just treat him like he’s succeeded. If he reverts backwards, I wont dispair and I wont discourage him. We’ll just keep doing what we have been… going with the flow… or lack there of 😉

Comments

Wonderful to hear that you homeschool. My wife and I homeschooled our boys. We started back in 1990. If I had any advice it would be, check out un-schooling. It unorthodox, but a natural way of learning. We started out with a purchased curriculum but finally gave up on it after about a year and a half. Our curriculum became whatever project we were working on. Like building our house became their curriculum one Summer. Then we incorporated math, writing, reading, art, etc.. If the kids were interested in something we studied it and added the elements. The boys didn’t notice how many subjects they used during one project. They just had fun. Our boys loved all the great history shows available. Also, we didn’t follow the school year, it was a lifestyle and we lived it all year. They often went to work with me and learned about what I did. We had all day to talk about forestry. They took karate.

My wife always says why create the same school at home that you opted out of it. You are free to make school really fun and engaging. Don’t worry about messing up your kids, a unprepared homeschool teacher is a better situation than 30 kids in a class room. Our boys had more structured homeschooling in high school when they were self directed.

I apologize for giving advice where none was asked for. We are passionate about the benefits of homeschooling. I know how hard it can be and how negatively people can react to it. I wish you all the best on your endeavors.

About the potty training, they do seem to do it when they are ready don’t they.

Thank you so much! I often think about how wonderful it would be to let the boys learn about what we are doing in life. To free them of the institution of education and allow them to see that success is a mastery of a skill and not how many figures are on your salary. I appreciate your advice and welcome it!